Posted on 03/14/2008 4:10:59 PM PDT by Clintonfatigued
Thirty-three votes separated Woody Jenkins from a primary victory and what promises to be a potentially hard fought Republican runoff in the Sixth Congressional District. Lobbyist Laurinda L. Calongne sent shock waves across the local political world by narrowly besting former Baker Chief of Staff Paul Sawyer for a runoff slot. Having run a low key campaign, she benefited from an intraparty war between former Baker Chief of Staff Paul Sawyer and Jenkins over the purchase of a mailing list during Jenkins’ 1996 US Senate race.
Sawyer contended that Jenkins knew that the list came from former KKK leader David Duke. Jenkins has maintained that he had no knowledge until 1998 that Duke profited from the purchase. Regardless of the reality, polling data seems to suggest that they ricocheted on Sawyer, drawing attacks from party chairman Roger Villere and causing him to drop in the polls by election-day behind Calongne.
By all appearances, though, the charges also affected Jenkins, who was polling in the mid 50s prior to the controversy two weeks ago.
Calongne concentrated on a direct mail campaign with some advertisements that positioned her as the outsider in what was perceived rightly or wrongly as a battle between the moderate and conservative factions of the Baton Rouge Republican Party.
Despite Jenkins’ near victory, his campaign had some of the same weaknesses that he endured in the US Senate race. The Baton Rouge native won his hometown by only 2,000 votes over New Orleanian Mary Landrieu in 1996, while the Democrat carried her home city by over 100,000 votes over Jenkins. Other Baton Rouge Republicans, such as Bobby Jindal four years ago, carried the Capitol City by larger margins against strong Democratic challengers.
(Excerpt) Read more at bayoubuzz.com ...
Paul Sawyer sure made a mess of things with his false charges. I hope he never gets elected to anything ever again.
It may be that Lorinda Cologne would be the stronger candidate, given that she has no major baggage.
Due to massive voter fraud on behalf of the Marc Morial LIFE machine (that just happened to be "enough" to overcome Jenkins's clear victory outside Orleans Parish), something the GOP didn't have the balls to investigate at the time. They should've immediately seated Jenkins and told Landrieu and the rodents to pound sand.
This isn’t about the Louisiana race, but one in Wisconsin. Longtime GOP Congressman Tom Petri may get a serious primary challenge. Locally known DA Ken Kratz, who won a high-profile murder conviction, has formed an exploratory committee to run.
Here’s a link to the article: http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080311/APC0101/803110510/1979
I normally don’t like primary challenges like this, but Tom Petri is an insider’s insider who is part of the problem. I hope Katz gets somewhere with this. You?
Regards,
Mike
DAYEM!!! I meant for that to be a private reply.
Hehehe.
Petri, now almost 68, was relatively young (then 38) when he won the 1979 special election for the seat of Bill Steiger, a legendary young Republican (who began his career in the House at 28 after entering the WI House at 22, who died at the age of 40, somebody who was expected to be a future Senator or House leader). Both he and Sensenbrenner, who arrived several months ahead of Petri, have been fixtures for nearly 30 years. Still, they’re junior members compared to David Obey, who has been in the House since Nixon plucked his GOP predecessor, Mel Laird, in 1969. Obey, born the same year as Steiger, was just 30 when he was elected and turns 70 this year. Mel Laird, the earliest former living member from WI turns 86 this year, and he served alongside Sen. Joe McCarthy in his first 4 years.
Question is whether Kratz can raise the $$ to challenge Petri effectively. He has to be careful he doesn’t cripple Petri for the general (since it isn’t likely he’ll beat him). At best, a tough race might convince Petri to retire in 2010.
That’s very clever!
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